


Our Times

by Ellimac



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Femslash Challenge 2014
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-31
Updated: 2014-12-25
Packaged: 2018-01-10 15:56:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1161690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellimac/pseuds/Ellimac
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tegan meets a mysterious stranger on a plane and accidentally falls in love. Turns out she's an alien, but they can work around that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2014 femslash takeover on Tumblr. I won't be adding to this every month, but it will be continued throughout the year.

Tegan met Nyssa on a vastly unusual flight, during which there was unexpected turbulence and no small amount of hassle when it came to seating arrangement. Nyssa was the one sitting in the aisle seat, apparently undisturbed by the turbulence, with her hands placed on her lap, staring into space when Tegan came by with the drink cart.

“What can I get for you?” Tegan said, hoping to get the strange girl’s attention.

She looked up. “What do you mean?”

“Beverages,” Tegan said. “We have coffee, juice, soda, tea, whatever you want.”

“Oh, no thank you. I’m not thirsty.”

Tegan put on her best hostess smile. “Well, if you change your mind later, you can just press that button, the one with the little man on it, and call me back.”

“Thank you,” the girl said. “I will.”

As Tegan made to walk by her, the girl turned in her seat. “Actually,” she said, “there might be something you can help me with. Have you seen a blue police box anywhere recently? Only I’m looking for one, and it’s rather important.”

Tegan’s surprise at the question proved impossible to conceal, but the girl didn’t seem to notice, or care. “No,” Tegan said. “I don’t think I have. Why?”

“I’m looking for one,” the girl repeated. “But I suppose it can’t be helped if you haven’t seen it. By the way, where are we going?”

Of all the odd questions. “This flight’s to Heathrow. Didn’t it say on your ticket?”

“I didn’t get a ticket.”

Tegan stared at her. How exactly was she supposed to react upon being told that a passenger neither had a ticket, nor knew where they were going? She couldn’t very well throw her off the plane, and it didn’t seem quite right to report her, either, given her apparent ignorance at how things were supposed to work.

“Well, listen,” Tegan said. “Once we land, I can help you out. I won’t be needed on another flight today. Don’t tell anyone about the ticket, all right? It’ll only cause trouble.”

The girl nodded. “Thank you. What’s your name?”

“Tegan,” Tegan said. “And yours?”

“Nyssa.” Nyssa smiled benignly at Tegan, and Tegan gave a quick, professional smile back before moving on with her drink cart.

The rest of the flight, aside from more mild turbulence, was uneventful, so there was nothing to distract Tegan from thinking of the odd girl. Nyssa, she had said. An unusual name, too—was there anything about her that was usual? Well, perhaps a four-minute conversation wasn’t enough to determine that, but still, she occupied Tegan’s thoughts until the plane landed and she could get back to steady, solid ground.

She hadn’t forgotten the offer she made, so once she was off the plane, she immediately began searching for Nyssa. She wasn’t that hard to find; she had stayed in the boarding area, and was patiently waiting for Tegan’s arrival. Tegan tapped her on the shoulder, and she looked around and smiled at her.

“Hello,” Tegan said. “Now, what can I do for you?”

“Well,” Nyssa said, “finding the TARDIS would be a good start.”

“Finding the what?”

“The police box I mentioned,” Nyssa said. “It’s called a TARDIS.”

“That’s a funny name.”

“It stands for Time and Relative Dimensions in Space.”

“What’s that mean?”

“It’s a time machine.”

Tegan stared at her, briefly contemplating sinking into the chair behind her. Instead, she put her hand on Nyssa’s shoulder and said, “Let’s look for it, then.”

“It’s got to be somewhere nearby,” Nyssa said. “It’s still translating.”

Tegan didn’t ask what that meant. Perhaps it was best if she stopped asking questions in general. Apparently Nyssa had arrived here in a time machine, which meant she was either mad or the world was more complicated than Tegan particularly wanted to think about when she was escorting a possibly mad woman around the airport.

“Let’s try baggage claim,” she said. “Maybe someone found it and thought it was luggage.”

“Perhaps,” Nyssa agreed.

But it wasn’t there. No one had seen it, and Tegan was beginning to think it didn’t exist. But Nyssa seemed absolutely certain of herself.

“It’s here,” she said firmly. “It must be here, somewhere.”

“Well, it’s late,” Tegan said. “I’m sorry. I can’t help you look anymore. I’ve got to be getting home. Do you have anywhere to stay?”

“Can I stay with you?”

Tegan opened her mouth, fully intent on saying no. No, are you insane? No, why would I let you into my house, talking about time travel? No, of course you can’t.

“Sure, I’ve got a couch you can sleep on if you want,” she said instead.

Nyssa smiled. “Thank you. I hope I won’t be too much trouble.”

I hope so, too, Tegan thought, but said nothing as she put on a smile and herded Nyssa toward the door, where her car was waiting. As she showed Nyssa how to buckle a seat belt, she had one other thought that stayed with her the entire drive home: what on earth am I getting myself into?

\--

The more time Tegan spent with Nyssa, the more she was beginning to believe her time travel story. Nyssa not only didn’t know how to work a seatbelt, but also had to be taught to use the microwave, didn’t know what a frozen pizza was, and seemed downright enamored with the cheap art Tegan had hanging on her walls for personality.

“It’s Earth art,” she explained, when Tegan pointed out that it was really nothing special. “I’m very interested in other cultures.”

“Other cultures? Where are you from?”

“Traken.”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

“No, you wouldn’t have. Oh—I suppose I shouldn’t be telling you all this.” For the first time since she had met her, Nyssa’s face betrayed an emotion other than self-assured: sheepishness.

“No, no,” Tegan said. “Go on. Tell me more. What’s Traken?”

Nyssa stared at her, as if sizing her up, and Tegan ignored the vague fluttery feeling in her stomach. Nyssa was interesting, that was all. Strange, remarkable, and interesting.

“It’s a planet,” Nyssa said at last. “My home planet. That is, I’m traveling at the moment, but one day I’ll go back.”

“So you’re an alien,” Tegan said.

“Well, so are you, to me,” Nyssa pointed out.

“You’re not going to probe my brain when I go to sleep, are you? Take me away in your flying saucer?”

Nyssa laughed. “I don’t have a flying saucer, and I don’t have a probe. Is that how your culture thinks of aliens?”

“Sometimes,” Tegan said. “I don’t think most of us expect to actually meet one.”

“Lucky you, then,” Nyssa said.

“Yeah, I suppose.” Tegan shifted in her seat, thinking back on all the odd things Nyssa had done and said so far. Knowing that she was a time-traveling alien put them in a very different perspective and they did not, Tegan told herself, make her cute. “So how did you lose this TARDIS of yours?”

“Oh, it’s not mine. It belongs to the Doctor. I imagine he’ll come and pick me up soon enough.”

“The Doctor? Who’s that?”

“He’s the friend I’m traveling with,” Nyssa said. “I’m sure he didn’t mean to leave me, but the TARDIS isn’t always terrible precise.”

“Oh,” Tegan said. “Does he have a name?”

“The Doctor,” Nyssa said. “Just the Doctor.”

Tegan nodded. “I see.”

“I’m sorry,” Nyssa said. “I think I’ve left you with a lot to process. Shall we go to bed?”

“Good idea,” Tegan said. “I’ll get you some sheets. Do you know how to make a bed?”

“Yes, I think so. Just show me where to put the sheets.”

After setting Nyssa up on the couch, making sure she did actually know what to do with the sheets and Tegan wouldn’t wake up to Nyssa trying to construct an actual bed, and bidding her goodnight, Tegan retired to bed herself. Once there, alone at last, she let out a long breath.

She had dealt before with fancying someone she shouldn’t. She had long since gotten over the idea that liking women was at all bad. She had, in the past, fallen for someone hard and fast, and regretted it later. None of this was new to her.

Nevertheless, she was awake for a long while after she went to bed, tossing and turning and thinking far too hard about the alien girl asleep in her living room.

\--

The TARDIS did not show up the next day. Thankfully, Tegan didn’t have work that day, either, so she took the time to go out with Nyssa and help her look anywhere she could think of for the blue police box. They ended up wandering around the park more than doing any actual looking, but Nyssa insisted that it was all right, and the TARDIS had to be nearby somewhere.

“I’m sure we’ll find it,” Nyssa said. “Or it will find us.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Tegan said. “Can I ask how you came to be here in the first place? On Earth, I mean?”

“Oh, it’s a long story,” Nyssa said. “That is, I didn’t come straight to Earth from Traken. I’ve been on a lot of adventures along the way. But this time, well, the Doctor said he’d detected some sort of anomaly, and we landed in the airport and got separated. By the time I found where the TARDIS had landed, he was gone.”

“So you got on a plane?”

“I didn’t know I was getting on a plane. I was just looking for the Doctor.”

“Which airport was it?”

“I don’t know.”

Silly question, Tegan thought. Of course she wouldn’t know. She probably didn’t even know what airport they’d landed in. For that matter, she may not even know what _country_ they were in.

Nyssa paused to lean over and smell a flower on a bush. “It’s lovely here, Tegan.”

Tegan ignored the small shock of delight at Nyssa saying her name. “It’s a nice park.”

“No, I mean here on Earth. It’s fascinating. I like the park, and the airport, and your home.”

“Oh,” Tegan said. “Well, you’re welcome to stay as long as you need.” She wasn’t one to blush, but if she had been, she would almost certainly be turning bright red. Why did she _say_ that?

“Thank you,” Nyssa said with a smile. “I’m sure the Doctor will come for me soon.”

It’s not love, Tegan reminded herself. It’s… fascination. Fancy. Love doesn’t happen that quickly. At least, never in her experience. Nyssa was going to leave soon, go away with this Doctor of hers, and Tegan would move on. Besides, Nyssa was an alien. This might not even be her real form. Maybe she was actually a little green man in a Nyssa suit.

She laughed to herself, and Nyssa turned to her again. “What is it, Tegan?”

“Nothing,” Tegan said quickly. “Tell me more about your life. I don’t know anything about you and you’re sleeping in my living room.”

“I could ask you the same,” Nyssa said, smiling again. “I barely know you at all.”

“All right,” Tegan said. “I’ll tell you about my life if you tell me about yours.”

It ended up being something of a game of twenty questions, except they took turns asking each other questions, and there was no limit to them. After a while, Tegan stopped reminding herself that love at first sight was not something that happened and began instead to wonder whether Nyssa felt the same. It was ridiculous, of course, and she knew it was; but, she reasoned, relationships don’t start out of nowhere. Someone has to start feeling something. It was just that it was impossible to know how Nyssa felt in return, or even if she could tell how Tegan was feeling. Did she know the sort of social cues to look for? Would she understand if Tegan held her hand, or kissed her?

It turned out, though, that Nyssa was too distracted by all the different plants and animals to give an opportunity to hold her hand, and kissing her in public probably wasn’t the brightest idea. Instead, Tegan took her out to lunch, and later dinner, and insisted on paying (Nyssa didn’t have any money, anyway), and paid as much attention as she could muster to her words rather than her face or how her hands moved.

The day ended too soon. Tegan went to bed still thinking about her, and knowing now that she was in far too deep to get out.

\--

Nyssa stayed with her for two more days, during which time Tegan took her out clothes shopping, showed her how to use the oven, and called in sick to work. Nyssa seemed perfectly happy with all of this, although, frustratingly, she didn’t give any indication—at least not one Tegan could read—of how she actually _felt_ about Tegan. She was happy to have a place to stay and things to eat, certainly, but that didn’t mean she liked Tegan herself; and even if she did, that certainly didn’t mean she returned Tegan’s feelings; and even if she did, that didn’t mean she would want to act on them.

On the fourth night, Tegan was woken from a slightly fretful sleep by a very unusual sound coming from her living room. Thinking of Nyssa, she flung the covers off and hurried out, but when she got there, there was something blocking her way. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and blinked, but it, the thing that had no reason or cause to be in her living room, was still there. Tall, blue, appeared out of nowhere…

It was the TARDIS, Tegan realized. The time machine Nyssa kept mentioning. It had finally come for her.

Irrational panic swelled in her, and she called, louder than she needed to even with the TARDIS in the way, “Nyssa?”

“I’m here, Tegan,” Nyssa said, and she appeared on the other side of it. Her eyes were shining in a way Tegan had never seen before. She walked slowly around the box, staring up at it, and stood next to Tegan. Unconsciously, Tegan reached for her hand, and Nyssa intertwined their fingers.

To the side, a door opened, and a man peered out. Tegan tensed slightly, but Nyssa gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. He looked away from them first, but as soon as he saw them, he straightened his hat and stepped out.

“Ah, Nyssa,” he said. “So sorry about that. The TARDIS—er, who’s this?”

“I’m Tegan,” Tegan said, her tone containing more than a hint of aggression. “I’m the one who’s been taking care of her since you left her here.”

“Ah,” the man—the Doctor, she supposed—said. “Well, thank you very much. Have I been gone very long?”

“Only a few days,” Nyssa said. “I suppose the TARDIS kept translating because it was close in time as well as space.”

“Oh, good,” the Doctor said, slightly distracted by Tegan’s unceasing glare to his face. “Well, I think it’s time we’re going, don’t you?”

“Yes, I think so,” Nyssa said, and Tegan’s heart plummeted. But it didn’t last long, for even as Nyssa let go of her hand, she turned back to Tegan.

“It’s been lovely staying with you,” she said, reaching for Tegan’s shoulder. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to get back, but I’ll write you.” She turned to the Doctor. “Can I do that? Will the TARDIS be able to send letters?”

“Oh, I’m sure we could work something out,” the Doctor said.

Nyssa turned back to Tegan. “I’ll write you as often as I can,” she promised. She gave Tegan’s shoulder a squeeze, and leaned up to kiss her. She had started to move away before Tegan came out of her surprise enough to react, but when Tegan put her hand on the back of her head, she came back easily, and laughed a little into the kiss.

“I’ll miss you,” Tegan said, as she moved away. Their hands fell from each other’s bodies, and Nyssa took a step backward.

“I’ll miss you too,” she said. “But I promise to write.”

“Thank you,” Tegan said.

It was a short goodbye, unfairly unceremonious, in Tegan’s eyes. Far too soon, Nyssa was out of sight, having been shepherded into the TARDIS by the Doctor, and the TARDIS itself vanished before her eyes.

She glanced at the clock. It was two in the morning. She really ought to go back to sleep. But all she wanted to do was lie down and feel sorry for herself, and wait for Nyssa’s first letter. It was a time machine, after all. It could come any time.

She went back into her bedroom, but when she was there, she leaned against the closed door rather than going straight to bed. No matter how quickly Nyssa wrote, this was going to be a long wait.

She touched her fingers to her lips were Nyssa had kissed and closed her eyes. A long wait, perhaps. But the memory of that moment would be enough to keep her happy for a while yet.


	2. Love Letters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tegan and Nyssa exchange letters through space and time.

The first letter came a week after Nyssa left, and was complete gibberish. Unsure if there was a way for her to write back, Tegan kept it anyway, moving it occasionally and finally just deciding to keep it under her pillow.

The second letter made a little more sense. It began with Nyssa apologizing for the first letter.

 _Dear Tegan_ , She said, _I’m so sorry about the first letter. You probably couldn’t read it, could you? I wrote it in my language. I forgot it wouldn’t translate for you. The Doctor is helping me learn to write in English, though. Oh, but this letter isn’t exactly written by me, I’m afraid. I’m dictating it to the Doctor. I’ll get good enough to send you a letter in my own hand before long, I promise._

_I suppose there’s no way for you to write back, is there? Well, the Doctor will figure something out, I’m sure. If not… well, I hope you read and enjoy my letters anyway. If you like, I can try to teach you a little of my language, so you can read the first one. I’d like to learn how to speak your language, too. Perhaps I can visit sometime. If the Doctor can control his TARDIS well enough, that is._

_I’ll try to reconstruct what I said in the last letter as best I can. I miss you already, was the start. I know I only stayed with you a few days but it felt like much longer. I certainly feel like I’ve grown to know you. Perhaps that’s silly. Perhaps I should be saying instead that I’d like to get to know you even better. But it’s true. It was only a few days, but it felt like much longer. And at the same time, it felt like no time at all._

_Oh, Tegan. I don’t even know how you feel about me. I suppose I assumed the kiss means something similar on Earth. The Doctor tells me it can, but doesn’t always. Did it? The Doctor calls it “fancy.” Well, I do fancy you. I wish it had occurred to me to invite you to come along with us, but I don’t know if you would have wanted to come._

_It feels a bit silly saying that all now. I wish there were a way you could write back._

_Oh—the Doctor says we’ve got to go now. We’ve landed somewhere. I’ll write you again soon._

_Love, Nyssa_

Tegan put this one under her pillow with the first, though only after she had read it enough times that she had it nearly memorized, and after she had started her own letter back three times over. There was no real point to writing one, but perhaps it would find its way into Nyssa’s hands one day anyway.

Nyssa’s third letter came with a spark of hope: a return address. She explained it inside.

_The address on the outside is for UNIT. Be careful, because they are a military organization, the Doctor says. But they know the Doctor, so if you say you know him, they’ll hold your letters for him. Well, for me. But you don’t need to tell them they’re for me. Just ask for Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. Apparently the Doctor tends to drop by pretty often, so if you leave a letter with him, he’ll pass it along. It’s not perfect, but the TARDIS knows UNIT, so she’s more likely to find it. So the Doctor says, anyway._

It didn’t make much sense to Tegan, not the bits about the TARDIS knowing anything, at least, but she had an address now, and was quick to take advantage of that.

_Dear Nyssa,_

_I’m so glad I’ve got a place to send my letters now, even if it’s not very exact. I’m writing this in English, but I suppose the TARDIS will translate for you. I’d love to learn your language, but I don’t even know what it sounds like. I know what it looks like, though. When you come back, if you come back, even if just for a visit, I suppose it’ll be translated, won’t it? I’d certainly love to read it._

_I guess the purpose of a letter isn’t to tell you how much I miss you, or how much I liked having you around. But I miss you a lot, and I liked having you around more than I can say. More than I should, maybe. “Fancy” is a good word for it. I fancy you, too._

_While you’ve been gone things have been very much the same as they always are, with me. I fly on planes. I’m a good stewardess, you know. They thought about firing me after I took those days off for you, but I’m too good at my job. It’s not every woman that can walk in heels during turbulence, you know!_

_I do love flying. Is flying in the TARDIS anything like flying in an airplane? I can’t imagine it would be. It looks awfully small and cramped, though. More cramped than airplanes. Would I even fit if I wanted to come along? Do you ever encounter turbulence? Do you have a pilot or is it just you and the Doctor? I can’t imagine more than two or three people can even be in the TARDIS at a time._

_How does it work? Oh, I suppose I shouldn’t overload you with questions. I’m very interested in flying, that’s all._

_I can’t imagine my everyday adventures are anything like the ones you have. You travel in time and you’re an alien—I suppose you must go to worlds I can’t even imagine, and I’ve flown all over the world. All right, I’ve mostly seen the airports, but even an airport’s got some of the character of a place._

_I hope to see you again soon. At least to hear from you. Getting your letters is always a joy, even if I can’t read them._

_Yours, Tegan_

She enclosed it in an envelope with an explanatory note to the folks at UNIT saying “READ THIS FIRST” in as big letters as she could manage to fit on the paper. She addressed it to Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart and posted it, trying to quell the flutters in her heart and the worries in the back of her mind that it wouldn’t get to the right person.

Nyssa’s next letter came two weeks later, after Tegan had reread the two letters that she could comprehend and stared at the one she couldn’t more times than she could count. In it, she attempted to explain dimensional transcendentality, but the only words Tegan understood were “it’s bigger on the inside.” She also included a very quick lesson on her written language—not enough for Tegan to be able to fully read her first letter, but enough to get a start. Her signature was shakier than usual, and underneath it was an entirely different signature, and a postscript.

 _P. S. That’s how my name looks in my language. The one above it is my signature, too. I can write both my name and yours in your language now. Maybe you can teach me more of it when we see each other again_.

When we see each other again—not if. Tegan wrote back quickly, trying to contain her eagerness, but she had probably failed rather miserably. She had asked at least twice when Nyssa might be able to visit again. She could only hope it didn’t make her sound desperate.

Nyssa’s response was to teach her a little more of her language, tell her that she didn’t know when but she hoped soon, and to describe what life on the TARDIS was like on a daily basis.

 _That is_ , she wrote, _as far as days happen on the TARDIS. Really, in a time machine, it’s difficult to tell what’s night and what’s day. Not to mention the Doctor doesn’t sleep as much as I do. It means I go to bed when I’m tired and wake up when I’m ready, or when the Doctor wakes me up. There’s enough space on the TARDIS that we can each have our own bedroom, and you too, if you want to._

Tegan was beginning to feel more and more like she did want to, like that was all she could possibly want in the world. What harm could it do, really? They had a time machine. She could go anywhere, anywhen she pleased and still be back in time for supper. It seemed a bit rash and impulsive, but those were both words Aunt Vanessa had used to describe her in the past, so it was only fitting, after all.

 _I’d love to come with you_ , she wrote. _If you’ll have me_.

 _I’ll have you anytime_ , Nyssa wrote back.

Perhaps it was premature to use the word “love,” but looking back, Tegan would always be able to pinpoint reading those words as the first time she really fell in love with Nyssa. At the time it was a slightly worrying sensation, and recalled the rashness and impulsiveness Aunt Vanessa would surely warn her against. But it was also a warm sensation, making her feel secure and good.

Under the pillow was getting crowded, but she made room for this one specially. It gave her heart to know that, however far away in space and time Nyssa might be, her words—“I’ll have you anytime”—were right near to her head, always.

\--

It was nearly six months after she had last seen Nyssa, after the TARDIS had appeared and vanished with her just like that, that she heard the sound again, in the middle of the night. This time, knowing what it meant, she flung the covers off her bed and nearly ran out into the living room. And there it was: the blue box, familiar despite her only seeing it once, containing the woman she had fallen in love with by accident. She found the door and knocked, blinking the sleep out of her eyes, though in truth she felt as wide awake as she had ever been.

As soon as the door opened, before she could even see inside, Nyssa ran out and fell into her arms. It occurred to Tegan that perhaps she ought to have worried; perhaps she ought to have been concerned that maybe Nyssa wasn’t developing the same sort of feelings as she was. Maybe for Nyssa it was nothing but a crush, a flight of fancy. But from the way she held her now, it was obvious that that was not the case.

“I missed you,” Nyssa said. “Everywhere we went I missed you. I wanted to tell you all about our adventures but they’re so hard to write down. How long have I been away?”

“Five and a half months,” Tegan said. “I missed you too. Every day I thought of you. I’ve kept all your letters, even the one I can’t read.”

“Bring it with you,” Nyssa said, and Tegan’s heart leapt as if it had grown wings. “I’m coming with you?”

“Of course you are,” said a voice from within the TARDIS. Tegan looked up and saw the Doctor standing in the doorway. “Nyssa wouldn’t let me leave without you, you know.”

“Hang on,” Tegan said. “I have to—the letters—”

“Pack some clothes, while you’re at it,” the Doctor called after her, as she broke away from Nyssa’s embrace and dashed back to the bedroom.

She wasn’t expecting Nyssa to follow her, but she did. As soon as they were alone, Nyssa threw her arms around Tegan’s shoulders and kissed her.

“Come to help me pack?” Tegan murmured, when they broke apart.

“Yes,” Nyssa said, and kissed her again.


	3. Secret Admirers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This planet's got a custom, and Tegan and Nyssa feel it's only appropriate to take part in the local culture.

Long stays on one planet were not common, according to Nyssa. Tegan could believe it; in the short time she’d been on board, they had gone to six different planets, two space stations, and three moons, and only when there was trouble there had they stayed for more than a day, or even a few hours. When they did have to stay in one place for a long time, the Doctor went about his business as usual, but Nyssa made an effort to learn a bit about the culture before dashing out and accidentally offending someone. When Tegan took Nyssa’s side on the occasion that they did have to stay on a planet for a while, the Doctor grumbled about the couple ganging up on him, until Tegan smacked him with a book and told him that Nyssa’s way was more sensible, anyway.

“According to this,” Nyssa said, reading from a large book as she sat curled in a chair and Tegan played with her hair, “the planet we’ll be staying on has a tradition of secrecy in courtship.”

“What’s that mean?” Tegan said, twirling a strand of Nyssa’s hair around her finger.

“It means that when you’re courting someone, you keep it a secret, even from them,” Nyssa said. “Send them anonymous love letters, that sort of thing. Eventually you are supposed to reveal yourself, but only after your object of affection has figured it out. They call it silent courting.”

“Secret admirers,” Tegan said. “How sweet.”

“There’s more,” Nyssa said, sitting up a little straighter, her eyes riveted on the book. Tegan let Nyssa’s hair fall and instead started running her fingers through it, peering over her shoulder at the book. “Apparently, it’s a fairly common practice between already established lovers, too. Once a year, they start leaving love letters to one another again, disguising their handwriting, not signing them, that sort of thing. Of course they know it’s each other all along, but they pretend not to for as long as a whole month. It’s so that their love always feels fresh.”

“What a nice idea.”

Nyssa tilted her head up to smile at Tegan. “Tegan, we’re going to be there for quite a while.”

“I thought the Doctor said it’d only be until he could find that amulet… thing.”

“Oh, yes. But that’s bound to take him a while, don’t you think?” Nyssa’s eyes sparkled. “And what better way to blend in with the locals than to adopt some of their customs?”

Tegan’s smile started slow, but grew wide. “Secret admirers, you mean?”

“I do mean,” Nyssa said.

“Just to blend in, of course,” Tegan said. Her grin was matched by Nyssa’s.

“Of course,” she said. “Goodness knows how long we’ll be there.”

Tegan reached for the book, and Nyssa held it up for her. “Of course,” Tegan said, “we’ll have to do a lot more research, first.”

She kissed Nyssa on the forehead, and Nyssa twisted in the chair to kiss her on the lips. The book wound up on a nearby table, and neither of them had the chance to do much research for the next hour or two.

\--

The Doctor took care of arranging where they would be staying for the duration of the trip, as he was the only one who had managed (somehow) to acquire the proper currency. Unfortunately, this meant that Tegan and Nyssa would be staying in separate rooms.

“It’s all right,” Nyssa said, when Tegan learned of this and threatened to leave without the Doctor if he didn’t go rearrange it right now. “It’ll make our game more fun.”

“I suppose,” Tegan said, only slightly mollified. She shot a glare in the direction of the Doctor’s retreating back. Nyssa kissed her.

“Believe me,” she said. “It’ll be more fun when we don’t see each other every night. It’ll leave some mystery to it.”

“Not much mystery when we know who’s behind it from the start, is there?”

“Well, no. But we can pretend there is a mystery more easily if we’re not sharing a bed every night.” She smiled at Tegan and kissed the tip of her nose. “It’ll be all right. Promise.”

Tegan wasn’t entirely convinced that this would be the worth giving up the feeling of curling up around Nyssa every night, but seeing as they had already agreed to it, she could only nod. Besides, she could sneak into Nyssa’s room if she started feeling really lonely, anyway.

She found the first note that very night, resting on her pillow in a slightly-scented envelope. When she opened it, the reason for the scent became apparent: along with the note, several flower petals fell out, their fragrance pleasantly drifting around the room. She pulled out the note and read:

_My dear Tegan,_

_I count the days until I can be with you._

_Love,_

_Your secret admirer_

_P.S. The flowers, the Doctor tells me, are the equivalent of roses on your planet. I hope you like them._

Tegan took one of the flower petals and pressed it to her nose. It was pleasant to look at as well as pleasant to smell, a sort of pale green that flowers never were naturally on Earth, and soft to the touch. She gathered them all up and put them back in the envelope. The letter, she slid under her pillow, already considering ways she might play Nyssa’s secret admirer in return.

\--

She brought the flower petals to the Doctor the next day, when she had made sure Nyssa wasn’t looking.

“Doctor,” she said, “where do these come from? What flower?”

He glanced at them. “Oh, they’re oqu flowers. Very popular here. If you crush the petals, it’s supposed to be a powerful aphrodisiac.”

“Really?” Tegan lifted the petals to her nose again. Had Nyssa known that?

“Yes.” He gave her a suspicious look. “Now that I think of it, Nyssa was asking me about these yesterday.”

“Was she?” Tegan said innocently. “Where do these things grow?”

“Usually in gardens,” he said. “You’d have to buy them from a shop. Where are you going?”

Tegan had started in the direction she had come from. She shot a brief smile over her shoulder. “I’ve got someplace to be. See you later, Doctor.”

There was a row of shops nearby, three of which were flower shops, or at least had flowers in them. Tegan sorted out her money and bought three bouquets of three, which she gathered was a rather significant romantic number here. She also, as an afterthought, bought a nice packet of stationery and a silver pen. All was going perfectly to plan (well, what little plan she had, anyway) until she ran into Nyssa, almost literally, on the way to her room, the flowers, stationery, and pen still in plain sight.

“Oh,” Nyssa said. “Hello.” She smiled. Her eyes flickered to the flowers, then back to Tegan’s face, the smile still in place, though now slightly more knowing. “I see I’ve interrupted your shopping. I was just on my way to do some, myself.”

“Oh, I shan’t keep you, then,” Tegan said. Then, figuring she ought to at least make a show of it, she added, “Unless you’d like me to come with you?”

“Oh, that’s all right,” Nyssa said. “I’m only buying some necessities. Boring things. Besides, you look busy.”

“A little,” Tegan said. She glanced at the flowers and bit back a sly smile. “I’ll see you later, then. Oh, by the way, I was thinking of going to the park later this afternoon, if you’d like to join me there.” She had been thinking of no such thing, but it was a good idea, she thought, to give Nyssa a time during which she would be out of the room, in case she had something to leave for her after this shopping trip.

“That sounds lovely, thank you,” Nyssa said with a smile. She leaned up to kiss Tegan, which lasted a little bit longer than it needed to and brought the delicious smell of the flowers right into Tegan’s nose, and left. Tegan stared after her, smiling like an idiot, for a few more seconds before turning back to go arrange the bouquets in Nyssa’s room.

\--

Things escalated quickly after that. The next time Tegan entered her room, she found a lavender negligee, completely transparent, along with a pair of boxer shorts made from lace and silk. They smelled of oqu flowers, and for a moment Tegan wondered if Nyssa had crushed some up to get the scent or if it was just the idea of Nyssa picking this out, and more importantly the idea of Nyssa seeing her wear this, that was making her blush. But in the end it didn’t matter, because it smelled nice and looked even better and made her want to go to Nyssa’s room right away. Surely it couldn’t hurt this whole secret admirer thing if they spent one night snogging?

But it was late, and Nyssa’s room was right next to the Doctor’s, and it had only been a few days. She could keep it up a little while longer, surely. It would be all the more satisfying, she told herself, the longer they waited to break the charade.

Still, her dreams were full of Nyssa that night, floating on a cloud of lavender and green, and she woke feeling rather too hot for the fact that she had kicked all the covers off.

Nyssa smelled intoxicating when they met for breakfast, and it was all Tegan could do not to bury her nose in her hair for the entire meal. She was about to invite her to her room for a quick snog and possibly a lot more than that when the Doctor rushed in, looking panicked.

“There you are,” he said. “Why aren’t you in your rooms? Never mind. We’ve got a situation.”

“Did you find the amulet?” Nyssa asked.

“Yes,” he said, now sound irritated, “but it’s in rather an inconvenient place, and I—well, I—”

“What’s the place?” Tegan said.

“Around the Emperor’s neck,” the Doctor said. “That is, not the real Emperor. They haven’t had one of those in decades. It’s around the neck of the big gold statue you pass every time you go into the court.”

“I’ve never seen it,” Tegan said.

“I have,” Nyssa said. “Or at least, I’ve seen pictures. It’s a very big statue. Larger than life-size, if I recall correctly. It cost quite a lot to build. I didn’t know they’d put anything around its neck, though. I thought everything on it was just part of the statue.”

“Why so agitated?” Tegan said as the Doctor shifted from foot to foot.

“Well, I—”

“Did you nick it?”

He looked embarrassed. Nyssa gasped. “You _did_!”

“Well, no one was looking, and we do rather need it,” he said. “I thought I could get back to the TARDIS without anyone noticing, but of course they’ve already noticed, and as we’re among the only off-planet visitors at the moment—”

“We’re under high suspicion,” Nyssa finished for him. “I understand.” She shared a look with Tegan, who rolled her eyes. “So we have to go, so soon?”

“I’m afraid so,” the Doctor said. “That, or get thrown in jail.”

“But they seem like such nice people,” Tegan said.

“They are,” he said distractedly, looking over his shoulder, “but their justice system, I’ve been told, isn’t terribly kind to outsiders.”

Tegan stood. “I’ll pack my things, then.”

“We don’t have _time_.”

“I’ll pack my things,” she repeated firmly, glaring at him. Hurried as they were, she wasn’t about to leave behind the negligee before Nyssa had even seen it on her.

“All right, all right,” he said. “But hurry. I’ll be waiting in the TARDIS.”

Nyssa followed her to the hall, but then disappeared into her own room, leaving Tegan to pack up the few things she had in the room on her own, silently fuming at the Doctor for his terrible timing and even worse judgment. She was about to head back to the TARDIS when Nyssa appeared in her doorway.

“I’m sorry this has to be so abrupt,” she said, hands behind her back, “but I’d rather thought we would have more time. I had one last gift to give you.”

Tegan smiled. “It’s all right, secret admirer. I understand. It’s not your fault, anyway.”

“Well, I thought I’d give it a sense of finality, anyway,” Nyssa said. She brought her hands out from behind her back, revealing that she was holding a peculiarly-shaped box with a card on top. “You can read the card when we get back to the TARDIS, but the box contains candies from specialty shops.”

Tegan’s eyebrows went up as she took the box. “What kind of specialty shops?”

Nyssa smiled, and this time there were a few too many teeth in it for it to be called entirely innocent. “You’ll see.”

She turned to go down the corridor toward the TARDIS, pausing only long enough to look over her shoulder and say, “Come on. The Doctor’s waiting for us.”

Tegan stuffed the box in her small bag and ran after.

\--

The TARDIS took off barely in the nick of time, with Tegan and Nyssa dashing inside barely yards ahead of the two officials chasing them. It wasn’t particularly funny, but both were breathless with laughter, and Nyssa clung to Tegan for support. The Doctor apparently failed to see what could possibly be funny.

“Yes, next time we barely escape with our lives and freedom I’ll write a comedy sketch about it,” he said.

Nyssa wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. “Sorry, Doctor,” she managed. “Come on, Tegan. Let’s go unpack.”

The first thing to come out of Tegan’s bag was the box of candies. The second thing was the negligee, which Nyssa immediately demanded that she put on, and which Tegan agreed to do if Nyssa would read aloud the note on the box of candies.

“Dearest Tegan,” Nyssa read, “These chocolates are from an out-of-the-way shop down a rather shady-looking alley, though the shop itself seems quite reputable. The shopkeeper says these candies are made with crushed oqu flower petals and jace extract, both of which are meant to provide an atmosphere of romance, among other things. I’ll eat one if you will. Signed, your secret admirer.”

Tegan found her face burning, though not with embarrassment, and she was pleased to see Nyssa in a similar state.

“Do you want to—” Tegan said.

“Yes,” Nyssa said.

“I don’t know how sex works, for Trakenites.”

“Nor I, for humans.” Nyssa opened the box and took out two candies. “But I’m more than willing to find out.”

Tegan crossed over to her and took one of the candies. Before she put it in her mouth, she kissed Nyssa, long and soft.

“Me, too,” she said, and put the candy in her mouth in one bite. Nyssa followed suit soon after.

The bed was soft, and Nyssa was warm. The scent of her mixed with the oqu flowers, and the taste of the candy fresh on her tongue, was most overwhelming. But Tegan wouldn’t have had it any other way.


	4. Holidays

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tegan and Nyssa spend the holidays together.

It had been several months now. Even the Doctor had realized that Tegan and Nyssa were, in fact, in a relationship.

Tegan, for her part, was still deliriously happy about it. It could possibly still be the honeymoon period, so to speak, but she felt herself falling more and more in love with Nyssa every day.

It was Nyssa’s idea that they should go to Tegan’s home planet for a while, just to vacation, she said, and it was Tegan’s idea that they should go during a holiday.

“I’d love a chance to practice my English,” Nyssa had said, trying to convince the Doctor that it was a good idea. “And I’m sure Tegan would like a chance to practice her Trakenite. Come on, Doctor, it would be our first holiday together. You can’t really celebrate them in the TARDIS.”

“Oh, well… very well,” he said, in something of a huff. “I’ll drop you off on, say, December 25, and pick you up a week later, how does that sound?”

Knowing the dates didn’t mean anything to Nyssa, Tegan said, “That sounds perfect, Doctor, thank you.” She was fond enough of the Doctor, but it was obvious to all involved that it was really Nyssa she had come for, and Nyssa she had stayed for. She and the Doctor were always just a little awkward around each other.

But he had granted the request, dropping the two of them off at Tegan’s flat at exactly midnight on December 25. Tegan was suitably impressed; the Doctor wasn’t particularly good at navigating under pressure. But perhaps the TARDIS had had more to do with the accurate trajectory than the Doctor had.

“I’ll see you lot in a week,” the Doctor said, with a tip of his hat. “Enjoy your holiday.”

“And you yours,” Tegan called, as he popped back inside the TARDIS and slowly disappeared.

“You know he’s probably just going to go directly into next week,” Nyssa said with a smile.

“Oh, yes,” Tegan said. “If the TARDIS lets him, that is.”

Nyssa smiled at her, and said slowly, in a tone that Tegan had learned was Nyssa practicing her English rather than just letting her Trakenite be translated, “What’s special about these dates?”

“Well,” Tegan said, “December 25 is Christmas. It’s a time when people get together and exchange gifts, and spend time with family. I’m afraid I don’t have any gifts, but… I’m more than happy to just spend time with you.”

“That sounds lovely,” Nyssa said.

“And in six days—that’s just under a week—it’ll be New Year’s,” Tegan continued. “We can go out and watch fireworks, and kiss when it’s midnight.”

“That sounds even lovelier,” Nyssa said with a wide smile.

Tegan kissed her. “In the meantime, we ought to get to bed. It’s Christmas morning tomorrow.”

This time, she didn’t bother setting up a couch bed. Her own bed was a little small for two people, but Nyssa was small, too, and she didn’t mind curling around Tegan any more than Tegan minded Nyssa’s arms around her. She fell asleep warm and happy, dreaming in her lover’s embrace.

\--

Tegan woke to Nyssa murmuring in her ear. For a moment she thought she was just too sleepy to understand her, but then she realized that Nyssa was speaking Trakenite, which she was trying to learn, but wasn’t very good at yet.

She rolled over and kissed her. “Morning,” she said. Then, in clumsy Trakenite, she said, “Good morning. I can’t understand you.”

Nyssa laughed softly, and in English, said, “Is this better?”

Tegan nodded. “I’ll be better once I’ve had coffee, I promise.”

Nyssa kissed her on the nose and said something in Trakenite that Tegan was reasonably certain was “I love you.” She said it back, the syllables heavy on her tongue, but it made Nyssa smile, so that was all that mattered.

“Merry Christmas,” she said.

“Merry Christmas,” Nyssa replied. She sat up, and Tegan sat with her, if only so she could kiss Nyssa’s nose in return. Nyssa giggled and scrunched up her nose. “Let’s get breakfast.”

The morning was an interesting one, largely because it was the first time they had to rely on each other’s grasp of their respective languages, without any TARDIS intervention at all. Much of their conversation was in English, because Nyssa was a faster learner than Tegan was, but Tegan tried to speak in Trakenite whenever she thought she knew the right words for it. Nyssa held her hand whenever they both had at least one hand free, and Tegan felt herself falling in love yet again.

“You know,” Tegan confided, when breakfast was done, “I’ve had a lot of Christmas mornings, but this one is definitely my favorite so far.”

Nyssa beamed at her. “Mine, too.”

Tegan kissed her, and wouldn’t have stopped, she was positive, for quite some time, had the doorbell not rung.

“Oh, no,” she said. “Oh, I bet that’s Auntie Vanessa. Oh, I haven’t bought her anything. I hope she won’t be hurt.” She started for the door. Initially, Nyssa hung back, but when Tegan noticed this she gestured her forward, and they answered the door together.

Sure enough, Aunt Vanessa stood there, all bundled up and holding an armful of packages.

“Merry Christmas!” she said happily. “Can I come in? Ooh, who’s this?”

“Come in, come in,” Tegan said. “I’m so sorry, Auntie, I don’t have anything for you. I’ll make it up to you. This is Nyssa. My girlfriend.” She said the last two words in a tone that brooked no argument, though out of all her family, Vanessa had always been the most open to Tegan’s preferences.

True to her character, Vanessa simply smiled and reached for Nyssa’s hand to shake it. “It’s lovely to meet you, dear,” she said. “Tegan never said a word. How long have you two been together.”

Nyssa hesitated, and Tegan jumped in. “A few months,” she said, though that stretched the truth almost to breaking; she realized with a shock that it had been nearly a year since their first meeting. “But you know I’ve been away…”

“Of course,” Vanessa said. “So you met her abroad? Nyssa, that’s an interesting name. Where are you from?”

“Denmark,” Tegan said, hoping her aunt didn’t notice the wince as the random name tumbled out of her mouth. She glanced at Nyssa, who nodded.

“Oh, lovely,” Vanessa said. “I’ve always meant to go there, you know. Is it nice?”

“Very nice,” Nyssa said.

“Now, I can’t stay long, dear, but I thought I’d drop in,” Vanessa said gaily, apparently noticing nothing wrong. “Seeing as I haven’t seen you in simply ages. Don’t you worry about getting me a present. I’ve got far too many things already. But do take yours. I’m sorry I don’t have anything for you, Nyssa, Tegan didn’t tell me.” She shot Tegan a glare that was spoiled by the jovial smile she wore and handed her the package on top of the pile. When Tegan didn’t open it right away, she said, “Well, go on, what are you waiting for?”

Tegan glanced at Nyssa and began opening the package. Vanessa may be one of her favorite relatives, but that didn’t mean she necessarily always gave the best, or most appropriate, gifts. When she opened the box, though, she was pleasantly surprised.

“Oh, Auntie, you shouldn’t have,” she said, holding up a beautiful faux-fur coat. “It’s lovely.”

“I knew you’d like it,” Vanessa said. “I saw it and instantly thought of you. Here, put it on.”

Tegan did so, and Nyssa reached out to pet the arm. “Oh, it’s very—um,” she said.

“Soft,” Tegan supplied, hoping this was the word Nyssa was looking for.

“Yes,” Nyssa said. “It’s very soft. And very beautiful.”

“It’s comfy, too,” Tegan put in.

Vanessa smiled. “I’m so glad. I’m sorry I don’t have anything for you, Nyssa dear.”

“It’s all right,” Nyssa said. “It’s a gift for both of us.”

“Lovely.” Vanessa’s eyes crinkled in a smile. “Well, I’m sorry to dash so soon, but I do have to hurry—I’ve got lots of other presents to deliver.” She hefted her armful of packages.

“At least let me get you a coffee,” Tegan said, hurrying to the kitchen and ignoring Vanessa’s half-hearted protests. Within five minutes, Vanessa was out the door, a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the stack of presents in the other. Tegan breathed a sigh of relief.

“She seems nice,” Nyssa said.

Tegan nodded. “She is. I’m glad we didn’t have to tell her too much about you, though.”

“Why?”

“I hate lying to her. And I can’t very well tell her the truth, I’d be committed.”

“I understand,” Nyssa said, although Tegan knew she hadn’t taught her half the words she had just used. If nothing else, she understood the sentiment. “Perhaps you can tell me about Denmark.”

Tegan laughed. “I wish I could. I’ve never been there.”

Nyssa smiled. “Then maybe we can make the Doctor take us.”

Tegan laughed and kissed her. “Maybe so. But not yet.”

“No,” Nyssa agreed, sliding her hands up Tegan’s sleeves as she took a step closer. “Not yet.”

\--

The week that followed was one Tegan would always remember with fondness. She and Nyssa hardly went anywhere, except to go grocery shopping once, and for the occasional walk. Once, it snowed, and they held hands as they wandered around the otherwise deserted park. Mostly they just stayed home, and Tegan taught Nyssa how to make hot chocolate, and Nyssa taught her how to make her favorite drink on Traken, or at least an improvised version. The name, as far as Tegan could tell, translated to “hot drink,” but whatever it was, it was delicious.

“It’s even better with the proper ingredients,” Nyssa said. “I’ll show you on the TARDIS, if we get a chance.”

“I’d like that,” Tegan said.

More often than any other activity, they curled up together under a blanket, sipping hot drinks or watching a movie or just cuddling. It was absolutely the best way Tegan could imagine ending her year.

On New Year’s Eve, they went out and bought champagne, and a coat for Nyssa, who insisted she was fine most of the time, but Tegan wanted them to stay out late and she wanted to be sure.

“We could always share a coat,” Nyssa suggested slyly, when Tegan brought it up.

Tegan grinned. “Of course. But we’ve got to be able to walk.”

That night they went out to the park. There was no official party happening, but there was a fair gathering of people, mostly couples holding hands and watching the sky. Tegan and Nyssa happily mingled with them until the countdown began.

“Ten,” several someones shouted, and Tegan felt a shiver go through her. She glanced at Nyssa. What possible better way, she thought, could there be to end a year?

“Nine!” This time Nyssa shouted with them, having learned English numbers at least up to ten backwards and forwards. Really she knew a lot more than that, but Tegan had wanted to focus on the first ten, for this purpose exactly.

“Eight!” Tegan joined in now. She reached for Nyssa’s hand, and Nyssa gladly took it. Her palm was soft and her fingers felt small against Tegan’s, but the way they twined felt more natural than anything else in the world.

“Seven!” Again she looked at Nyssa, whose eyes were shining in the dark, reflecting the stars and the artificial lights set up around the park. She had never seen a more beautiful person, she thought.

“Six!” She gave Nyssa’s hand a squeeze.

“Five!” Nyssa looked at her now, and their eyes met.

“Four!” Neither of them were shouting now, though their mouths still formed the numbers. They were much quieter, talking only to each other, not shouting for the crowd to hear.

“Three!” Nyssa reached for her other hand, and Tegan took it. They may as well be alone in the park now.

“Two!” Nyssa slid her hands up Tegan’s sleeves, making her shiver with anticipation.

“One!” They went in for the kiss. It was a little early, but it didn’t matter; they were still kissing when the countdown hit zero. And they weren’t the only ones—not that either of them was aware of it. At that moment in time, all they cared about was each other.

\--

Tegan woke the following morning to the sound of the TARDIS materializing. She groaned and checked the clock.

“Rabbits,” she grunted. It was closer to afternoon than to morning. She rolled over and shook Nyssa awake.

“Doctor’s here,” she said, in response to Nyssa’s sleepy murmur. “C’mon. We need to put on clothes.”

She stumbled out of bed, dragging the sheets with her, though Nyssa grabbed the comforter at the last moment so it didn’t slide completely off her. Holding it to herself, she sat up.

“He’s here already? What time is it?” she said.

“One thirty,” Tegan said, searching for a skirt to put on. “In the afternoon. Here, that’s yours.” She tossed a shirt to Nyssa, who caught it and pulled it on over her head.

“Well, he is right on schedule,” Nyssa said. She stood up and began looking for the rest of her outfit. “I do wish we’d had a bit more time, though.”

“So do I,” Tegan said with a sigh, pulling on a dress, “but I suppose we had plenty of time as it is.” She caught Nyssa’s arm and smiled. “I certainly had a good holiday.”

“I love you,” Nyssa said, and though the TARDIS was now translating for them, she could tell that she had said it in Trakenite.

She kissed her soundly on the mouth. “I love you, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: after the challenge this was initially for petered out, and the friend for whom I was primarily writing it stopped talking to me, I almost gave up on this fic. It was a combination of my own stubbornness ("No, I am not going to let there be an incomplete fic on my page!") and realizing that what I already wrote wasn't nearly as bad as I remembered that saved it. Merry Christmas, folks!


End file.
